1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a binocular device, and more particularly, to a binocular device incorporating an image pickup device for imaging of observation light captured with an observation optical system of a binocular device, and a display device for displaying an image formed by the image pickup device.
2. Description of the Related Art
When a person observes through a binocular device an object such as a landscape or a building existing a distance away from the observation point, he or she may wish to record an image of the observed object. Binocular devices designed to enable image recording in such a situation are known. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Nos. 11-64740 and 11-112851 disclose such devices, i.e., binocular devices with image recording means.
The binocular devices having such an image recording means perform image recording in such a manner that observation light at a first image plane in one of two observation optical systems is captured with an image pickup device and an image captured with the image pickup device is recorded by the image recording means.
To enable enjoyment of images recorded with the above-described binocular device having the image recording means, however, it is necessary to output each recorded image to a separate reproduction device from the binocular device. To enable reproduction and check of recorded images on the site, therefore, it is necessary to prepare a reproduction device separately from the binocular device.